On stand, Douglas husband says wife jumped to death after argument

WORCESTER 
A Douglas man charged with manslaughter in the death of his wife testified today that he never threatened or hit his wife when they argued after drinking alcohol, including the night on which he said he saw her jump to her death from a second-floor window.

Allen M. Stilkey, 41, of Douglas, the only defense witness in his trial in Worcester Superior Court, said the couple had returned home after a night of drinking on Feb. 10 when his wife, Lisa A. Stilkey, became upset that he was texting a female friend. He said the two argued, and his wife began to smash things in their home at 38 Gilboa St.

“She was saying I was an [expletive] and that everybody is more important than her,” he said in court. “She picked up one of the wine bottles out of the fridge and smashed it. I was very upset and I screamed at her more.”

He added: “I called her a total f-ing bitch I couldn't believe she was freaking out like this.”

At some point, Mrs. Stilkey was upstairs alone and began stomping around, Mr. Stilkey testified. He said he went upstairs after he heard the window open and another loud noise. When he walked in the bedroom, he said, he saw his wife's feet exiting the window. He said that he looked out the window and saw her on the ground.

Assistant Worcester District Attorney Brett F. Dillon pointed out that the female friend who was the subject of the earlier argument was apparently closer to Mr. Stilkey than he maintained. The prosecutor showed Mr. Stilkey cellphone records that revealed that the two had texted each other about 100 times each day for several days leading up to his wife's death. On one of those days, there were 200 text messages. He also texted the 20-year-old woman less than 10 minutes after he called 911.

The last prosecution witness, a former next door neighbor, contradicted Mr. Stilkey's testimony. She said because of insomnia she was often awake to hear the couple fighting when they returned home late at night.

“On two occasions, I saw the defendant actually put his hands on Lisa,” said 21-year-old Brianna Defreitas, whose house next door shares a driveway with the Stilkeys house. “The first time I saw him slap her. The second time, he punched her and grabbed her arms and shook her. It took place when they were in the garage going into the home.”

Mrs. Stilkey's 23-year-old son, Timothy MacIntyre, testified on Wednesday that his mother called him during the fight. He said his mother said Mr. Stilkey, a former national arm-wrestling champion, had threatened to kill her after she got off the phone.

The trial will resume Monday, when closing arguments will be given by both sides.